Heidelberg IWC e.V. Newshttps://heidelbergiwc.org/
Heidelberg IWC e.V. blog postsHeidelberg IWC e.V.Wild Apricot - membership management software and moreenFri, 22 Feb 2019 12:52:57 GMTFri, 22 Feb 2019 12:52:57 GMTFri, 07 Dec 2018 10:00:00 GMTImpressive €1,215 Raised to Educate Refugee Women and Girls in Jordan<p>All throughout 2018, the Heidelberg IWC has been fundraising for the <a href="https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/target-program/education/target-project" target="_blank">FAWCO Target Project, Hope Beyond Displacement</a>, which provides education and skills training for refugee women and girls in Amman, Jordan. As a <a href="https://heidelbergiwc.org/fawco">FAWCO Member Club</a>, the HIWC has the opportunity to come together with the 62 other Member Clubs and make a difference with one organization. After the last of five fundraising event and activities took place in December, <strong>we can announce that the HIWC has raised €1,215 to donate to Hope Beyond Displacement</strong>!</p>
<p>Hope Beyond Displacement aims to build better futures through education, vocational and leadership training for refugee women and girls in Amman, Jordan. It is an initiative of the <a href="https://www.collateralrepairproject.org/" target="_blank">Collateral Repair Project</a> (CRP) designed to address the pressing issues identified in close consultation with the women they serve.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/target-program/education/target-project" target="_blank"><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/FAWCO/Hope-Beyond-Displacement-Logo.png" alt="Hope Beyond Displacement" title="Hope Beyond Displacement" border="0" width="302" height="100" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></a></p>
<p>Located in Amman, Jordan, Collateral Repair Project is a grassroots effort to bring much-needed assistance to refugees and other victims of war and conflict - those commonly referred to as "collateral damage". They operate numerous programs focusing on community building, education and emergency aid.</p>
<p>The project addresses these issues through targeted training and educational programs, and through tangible opportunities for advocacy and leadership. To ensure the sense of ownership and investment that will be integral for the longevity, sustainability, and success of the project, community members will be involved at every stage.</p>
<p>The events and activities where money was raised were:</p>
<ul>
<li>A <a href="https://heidelbergiwc.org/charity-work">special book discussion</a>, where members read <em>When the Moon is Low</em> and the Skyped with the author Nadia Hashimi;<br></li>
<li><a href="https://heidelbergiwc.org/charity-work">A Walk Through the Night</a>, where members walked along the Neckar in Heidelberg and considered the plight of refugees fleeing their homes;<br></li>
<li>The <a href="https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6928624">Kick-Off Monthly Meeting</a>, where attendees participated in a raffle to win two gorgeous prizes provided by members Gisela Backe of Evolving You Art Design, and Ginny Trowman, an Independent Stella &amp; Dot Stylist;<br></li>
<li>Soirée on the River, a fancy picnic on the river Rhine in Mannheim; and<br></li>
<li>The <a href="https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949503">Benefit Concert with Robin Meloy Goldsby</a>.<br></li>
</ul>
<p>Additionally, Target Program Chair Tricia R. Saur was the guest speaker at the club’s Monthly Meeting in May, and Collateral Repair Project Executive Director Amanda Lane and four Target Project Site Visit attendees spoke at the <a href="https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949505">FAWCO Region 5 Meeting hosted by the HIWC in November</a>. It’s been wonderful to learn more about the project and organization and to spread this awareness among the members.</p>
<p>The Heidelberg IWC is thrilled to have raised so much money in support of this amazing organization. Not even a year old, the HIWC has jumped in feet first in support of the Target Project, learning as much about it as possible and contributing to the programs that will make a vital difference in the lives of the women and girls in Jordan.</p><br>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949517
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949517Christine FunkeThu, 06 Dec 2018 09:01:00 GMTPiano Music and Stories with Robin Meloy Goldsby in Support of the Target Project<p>In the middle of the Heidelberg Old Town at a small music school, Robin Meloy Goldsby performed a touching, funny and heartwarming concert for 30 guests at the Heidelberg International Women’s Club’s Benefit Concert on December 5th. Robin played beautiful pieces on the piano, a combination of her own composed pieces and classics from her multiple albums, and shared three delightful and relatable stories about visiting German saunas, performing for Prince Charles, and shopping at Ikea while pregnant.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Activities_Events/hiwc-benefit-concert-2018-robin-meloy-goldsby-reflection.jpg" alt="Robin Meloy Goldsby at the piano" title="Robin Meloy Goldsby at the piano" border="0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<p class="contStyleCaption" align="center">Robin Meloy Goldsby: Composer, Pianist, Author, Storyteller</p>
<p>It was not only just a wonderful concert, but the Heidelberg IWC raised money for the <a href="https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/target-program/education/target-project" target="_blank">FAWCO Target Project, Hope Beyond Displacement</a>, which provides education and skills training for refugee women and girls in Amman, Jordan, through the Collateral Repair Project. All proceeds from the tickets, plus 50% of the sales of Robin’s books and albums, combined to an impressive €635 for the night! The Heidelberg IWC thanks the clubs of FAWCO Region 5 for their support for the evening as well.</p>
<p>The Heidelberg IWC, not even a year old, has supported the Target Project all throughout 2018, raising a total of €1,215 through 5 different fundraising events and activities. Well done!</p>
<p>The Club says a big thank you to Robin Goldsby for entertaining us in fun and inspiring evening.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Activities_Events/hiwc-benefit-concert-2018-robin-meloy-goldsby-1-christine-funke.jpg" alt="President Christine Funke and Robin Meloy Goldsby" title="President Christine Funke and Robin Meloy Goldsby" border="0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<p class="contStyleCaption" align="center">Heidelberg IWC President Christine Funke and Robin Meloy Goldsby at the Benefit Concert</p>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949503
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949503Christine FunkeMon, 12 Nov 2018 09:00:00 GMTFAWCO Region 5 Rocks at Its First Regional in Heidelberg<p>The <a href="http://www.fawco.org" target="_blank">FAWCO</a> Region 5 Meeting took place in Heidelberg, Germany for the first time ever with it being hosted by <a href="https://heidelbergiwc.org/fawco">FAWCO’s newest Member Club</a>, the Heidelberg International Women’s Club. The organizers, led by President and Founder Christine Funke, took on a huge challenge in the Club’s first year in existence and threw a giant welcoming party for itself by hosting this meeting.</p>
<p>The meeting, held on Friday and Saturday, with optional tours on Sunday, had 48 women in attendance from all the Region 5 Clubs, except for Frankfurt, plus women from Amsterdam, Paris, Denmark, Dublin, and The Hague among others. Eight members from the host club were there with this being the first ever FAWCO event for many of them!</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/FAWCO/hiwc-fawco-r5-2018-group-web.jpg" alt="Region 5 Meeting Attendees in Heidelberg" title="Region 5 Meeting Attendees in Heidelberg" border="0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<p>The theme of the meeting was “Connect &amp; Inspire” and the focus was on getting to know the other women in attendance. There were stickers for the name tags for starting conversations, a round of “speed dating” where everyone had two minutes to chat with each attendee, longer lunch time and coffee breaks, and a member directory with attendees’ photos and a short description they provided upon registration. Overall, everyone took the opportunity to reach out to someone they hadn’t met before which created a buzzing atmosphere throughout the weekend.</p>
<p>During the FAWCO and <a href="http://www.fawcofoundation.org/" target="_blank">FAWCO Foundation</a> sessions, the majority of the time was spent on hearing from the attendees themselves. Eight FAWCO volunteers, including a counselor, the Inspiring Women editor, the Club Workshops Coordinator and Youth Co-Chair, stood up and gave a short explanation of their position and why they got involved. Later, we heard from women who won an Education Award or have a son or daughter who won one, and from Roxey Lau and Carol Strametz who each won a Development Grant for a project. Last but not least, Target Program Chair Tricia Saur led a round of Q&amp;A with four women who participated in the Target Project Site Visit in April 2018, and in the afternoon <a href="https://www.collateralrepairproject.org/" target="_blank">Collateral Repair Project</a> Executive Director Amanda Lane spoke with small groups about the <a href="https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/target-program/education/target-project" target="_blank">Target Project, Hope Beyond Displacement</a>, on the ground in Jordan. It was a unique way for attendees to learn more about FAWCO and the Foundation, and hear about its impact on the women who are actively involved.</p>
<p>Saturday’s meeting sessions were held in the community room at the Peace Church in the Handschuhsheim neighborhood of Heidelberg, where the Heidelberg IWC hosts its Monthly Meeting. The lunch was catered by HIWC Member Juliah Rais-Morres of Serai and proceeds were donated to her organization <a href="https://www.serai-hd.de/hilfsprojekt/" target="_blank">Cooking for Hope</a>, which supports unaccompanied refugee minors in Heidelberg and the surrounding region. Some of the young men were on hand to say hello and help out with the lunch and cleaning up.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/FAWCO/hiwc-fawco-r5-2018-cooking-for-hope-juliah-rais-morres.jpg" alt="Juliah Rais-Morres of Cooking for Hope" title="Juliah Rais-Morres of Cooking for Hope" border="0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<p>Saturday wrapped up with dinner at the hotel where the attendees were staying. Then on Sunday, attendees did a tour of Heidelberg’s Old Town and Castle, or went for a walk on the Philosophers’ Path and then back through the Old Town.</p>
<p>A weekend with the women of Region 5 is never enough, but we look forward to seeing each other again in March, and of course somewhere else in Region 5 next November.</p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949505
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949505Christine FunkeWed, 31 Oct 2018 11:45:24 GMTA Spooky and Successful Outing for the Ghosts of Artists Past<p><strong>Written by Kirsty Rowan</strong></p>
<p>On Saturday the 27th of October, members of the HIWC put on a performance of Ghosts of Artists Past, dramatic readings from some of history’s most inspiring female creatives.</p>
<p>From Frida Kahlo to Sylvia Plath, writers, poets and painters, we embraced the magical Halloween spirit and took the the streets with our candles and ghostly faces. Stopping at four of Heidelberg Altstadt’s most beautiful squares, we had seven ghosts reading excerpts and histories from these wonderful women’s lives.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Activities_Events/Ghosts%20of%20Artists%20Past%202018/heidelberg-iwc-ghosts-artists-past-2018-group-3-sm.jpg" alt="Heidelberg IWC Ghosts of Artists Past Performers" title="Heidelberg IWC Ghosts of Artists Past Performers" border="0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<p>The event was in aid of raising funds for art supplies and classes for women refugees living in Heidelberg, and to seed a children’s puppet theatre if we received enough funds. We are happy to say that thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our family and friends, we raised €880 for this excellent cause, and we look forward to putting together the art programme for 2019.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Activities_Events/Ghosts%20of%20Artists%20Past%202018/heidelberg-iwc-ghosts-artists-past-group-2.jpg" alt="Heidelberg IWC Ghosts of Artists Past Group" title="Heidelberg IWC Ghosts of Artists Past Group" border="0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6928616
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6928616Christine FunkeThu, 25 Oct 2018 11:00:00 GMTFrom Dull to Beautiful: A Transformation Through Fire<p>On a chilly October evening at the Community Room at the Peace Church in Handschuhsheim, Heidelberg IWC members and guests got together for the Monthly Meeting.</p>
<p>As guest speaker, HIWC Member Gisela Backe, of Evolving You Art Design, took the group through a fascinating and inspiring journey of self-discovery and acceptance while turning a lump of clay into a beautiful piece of jewelry. The attendees were wowed by how such a lovely item could be transformed from something dull and shapeless.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-10-24/hiwc-monthly-meeting-2018-10-24-gisela-backe.jpg" alt="Gisela Backe at the Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting" title="Gisela Backe at the Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting" border="0" width="500" height="375" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<p>Also during the evening, President Christine Funke spoke about the values and goals of the club and the many exciting events and activities coming up. Charities Coordinator Marelie Manders touched on the volunteering opportunities available to HIWC Members with Cooking for Hope and the new partner organization Mehrgenerationenhaus.</p>
<p><em>Gisela Backe is a generous sponsor of the Heidelberg IWC providing her studio as meeting space for the club. Thank you Gisela!</em></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949511
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6949511Christine FunkeWed, 19 Sep 2018 11:07:52 GMTKick-Off Meeting Starts a Fabulous Fall for the Heidelberg IWC<p>The Kick-Off Meeting was an extra special edition of the Heidelberg IWC’s Monthly Meeting to get members and guests excited about a busy fall with the Club.</p>
<p>Around 25 attendees gathered in the Community Building at the Peace Church and had a fun time chatting, eating and learning more about the HIWC. Everyone brought a dish representing their home country or somewhere they had lived for a potluck lunch, which was organized by member Faeimm Tang, also the founder of Food Explorers.</p>
<p>For the presentations, attendees heard from President and Founder Christine Funke, Vice President Laura Bobanovic, Activities Coordinator Kirsty Rowan, and FAWCO Rep Ulrike Näumann. In addition to these reports, the Club voted on changes to the constitution and re-voted for the executive board (president, vice president and treasurer).</p>
<p>Last but not least, there was a raffle to raise money for the FAWCO Target Project, Hope Beyond Displacement, which provides education and skills training to refugee women and girls in Amman, Jordan. The items being raffled off were provided by HIWC Members Gisela Backe, of Evolving You Art Design, and Ginny Trowman, an independent Stella &amp; Dot Stylist. In the end, over €200 was raised for Hope Beyond Displacement, and two lucky members went home with new jewelry!</p>
<p>Thank you Gisela and Ginny!</p>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6928624
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6928624Christine FunkeMon, 02 Jul 2018 08:30:00 GMTStarting Off Summer with the June Monthly Meeting<p>For a change of style, the Heidelberg International Women’s Club met at restaurant Zum Achter for our June Monthly Meeting. The theme was “Welcome Summer” and the warm weather and late-setting sun were the perfect background. Around 20 women, members and guests, attended.</p>
<p>We started off with ordering drinks and then dinner, and while waiting for our meals, member Neha Agrawal took us with her on a description of her solo journey by car through Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. She gave us the highlights, her favorite spots, lessons learned, and told us why she had so many photos of sunsets. She traveled through Italy and some parts of the other countries with her husband, but it was really the time she spent alone that wowed us.</p>
<p>Her presentation was engaging and fun, not just a slideshow of thousands of photos. We appreciated hearing about her experiences booking apartments or rooms last minute, and giving up control to lean into her vacation. Thanks Neha for sharing your experience with us!</p>
<p>Towards the end, we took a fabulous group photo, where we all were wearing our Club t-shirts. You can see the photo on <a href="https://heidelbergiwc.org/about">our About page</a>. With lots of potential new members and the chance to catch up with our friends, it was a perfect summer evening with the HIWC.</p>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6387789
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6387789Christine FunkeTue, 26 Jun 2018 09:00:00 GMTMaking a Difference with Our World Refugee Day Events Series<p>It was a lofty goal: to set up, organize and hold three events to coincide with World Refugee Day on June 20, 2018. But President and Founder, Christine Funke, wanted a way to show that working with refugees is an important issue for the Heidelberg International Women’s Club. Along with raising awareness and talking about these events, and therefore this issue, the Club raised €260 for the <a href="https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/target-program/education/target-project" target="_blank">FAWCO Target Project, Hope Beyond Displacement</a>!</p>
<p>Taken together, these events show the diversity of the membership of the club, the interests of the members, and the strength of working together to get things done. Through a book discussion, a party with refugee women, and a challenging walk through the middle of the night, the HIWC is committing ourselves to supporting refugees living in our community and around the world.</p>
<p>Additionally, the HIWC joined FAWCO in supporting the FAWCO Target Project in considering that <a href="https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/target-program/845-target-program-education/3857-awareness-world-refugee-day" target="_blank">many of us chose to leave our home countries, but what if we had no choice?</a> This meant that the HIWC was taking part in in a larger, global-wide campaign through our FAWCO membership to fundraise for the Target Project on World Refugee Day.</p>
<h2>Special Book Discussion: <em>When the Moon is Low</em> by Nadia Hashimi</h2>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Activities_Events/when-the-moon-is-low-nadia-hashimi-heidelberg-iwc.jpg" alt="When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi" title="When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi" border="0" width="225" height="400" align="right" style="margin: 8px;">Through FAWCO membership and connections, Christine was able to get in touch Nadia Hashimi, the author of the book <em>When the Moon is Low</em>, a fictional story of a woman who must flee Afghanistan with her children to get away from the Taliban. Nadia had spoken with other FAWCO Clubs in the past, and was willing to speak with a group of HIWC Members who gathered at Christine’s home after reading the book.</p>
<p>The book discussion was engaging but getting the chance to chat with the author herself was amazing! She was thoughtful, kind, funny and in the middle of a U.S. congressional primary campaign, but still had time to speak with us. She gave us insight into how she created the characters, how she wanted to create situations that she thought couldn’t possibly happen in the journey of a refugee from Afghanistan to England, but do happen now. She answered our questions and impressed us with her candor and approachability.</p>
<p>It really was a special moment for the members who attended this event, and those avid readers who have been part of the Book Club for a few years.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Activities_Events/heidelberg-iwc-book-club-nadia-hashimi-web.jpg" alt="Special Book Discussion with Nadia Hashimi" title="Special Book Discussion with Nadia Hashimi" border="0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<p><br></p>
<h2><em>Zuckerfest</em> with the Refugee Women in Freinsheim</h2>
<p>Originally a picnic on the Neckarwiese had been planned for the afternoon on June 20, World Refugee Day, but due to logistics and timing, a few HIWC members went out to Freinsheim, a small town in the Pfalz, about 40 minutes away from Heidelberg.</p>
<p>The <em>Zuckerfest</em>&nbsp;(sugar party) celebrated the end of Ramadan and everyone brought a dish to share. The organizers of the <em>Frauentreff</em> (women’s get together) spoke and welcomed everyone, and translations in Arabic and Persian were given as well. Lots of small children ran around the room and everyone enjoyed the food.</p>
<p>The Club continues to keep in touch with the group, <em>Miteinander in der VG Freinsheim</em>, who spoke at the January Monthly Meeting. We hope they’ll be a good resource as we continue to work with refugee women in Heidelberg and that the groups can support each other in various ways.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Activities_Events/Heidelberg-iwc-world-refugee-day-2018-geeta-piper-web.jpg" alt="Zuckerfest with refugee women in Freinsheim" title="Zuckerfest with refugee women in Freinsheim" border="0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<h2><br></h2>
<h2>A Walk Through the Night</h2>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Activities_Events/heidelberg-iwc-walk-through-the-night-2018-geeta-piper-web.jpg" alt="Heidelberg IWC A Walk Through the Night" title="Heidelberg IWC A Walk Through the Night" border="0" width="225" height="300" align="right" style="margin: 8px;">The series of events wrapped up with an hour walk starting at midnight along the Neckar River in Heidelberg. Modeled off of “<a href="https://www.nachtvandevluchteling.nl/english" target="_blank">The Night of the Refugee</a>” held in The Netherlands, this walk was purposefully challenging to help us understand a bit better what it might be like to have to walk at night to leave your home and go somewhere unknown. While, we can’t ever recreate or fully understand what that might be like, the women who participated appreciated the chance to walk and talk and discuss ways for the Club to continue to develop our charity and volunteer work.</p>
<p>We got a selfie on the Theodor Heuss Bridge with a clear view of the moon to remember our first Walk Through the Night.</p>
<p>Overall, it was a successful series of events and we’re happy to have supported the <a href="https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/target-program/education/target-project" target="_blank">FAWCO Target Project, Hope Beyond Displacement</a>, with a donation, as well as, talked about this issue with our new Club. We can imagine that each year we’ll want to continue to use World Refugee Day to raise awareness, do some activities together, and fundraise for the refugee projects that are meaningful to us.</p>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6387890
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6387890Christine FunkeMon, 04 Jun 2018 08:00:00 GMTLearning More About the FAWCO Target Project, Hope Beyond Displacement<p>On a very warm morning at the end of May, around 17 women attended our Monthly Meeting at the Peace Church Community Room in Heidelberg-Handschuhsheim. Our guest was Tricia R Saur, an HIWC Member, AIWC Cologne Member and FAWCO Target Program Chair. This morning gave HIWC members and guests a short introduction to <a href="http://www.fawco.org" target="_blank">FAWCO</a> (we joined in April) but mostly Tricia focused on the <a href="https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/target-program/education" target="_blank">Target Program</a> and the <a href="https://www.fawco.org/global-issues/target-program/education/target-project" target="_blank">Target Project, Hope Beyond Displacement</a>.<br></p>
<p>Tricia started with the history of the Target Program, where it began with raising money for mosquito nets then water wells in Cambodia then bras for women to sell to fight human trafficking and now supporting the education and skills training for refugee women and girls in Jordan.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-05-28/heidelberg-iwc-monthly-meeting-tricia-saur.jpg" alt="Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting May 2018" title="Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting May 2018" border="0" width="302" height="227" align="right" style="margin: 8px;">Hope Beyond Displacement (HBD), the Target Project submitted by Therese Hartwell, a FAUSA Member, and voted on by the 65 other FAWCO Member Clubs, is a project by Collateral Repair Project (CRP) in Amman, Jordan. They support refugees from various backgrounds and countries who do not live in camps but are not legally allowed to work.</p>
<p>Through HBD, the Member Clubs can collectively fundraise and support educational and skills training programs for the refugee women and girls they work with. Programs include beautician skills training, Super Girls, a program for young girls to work through the trauma of war and hardship, international driver’s license training, providing school uniforms and materials to girls going to school, and gender-based violence training for women and men. Additionally, many of the programs then train new trainers who will be able to deliver the programs and provide the element of sustainability to CRP’s programs.</p>
<p>Tricia shared that the <strong>original fundraising goal of $125,000 for HBD has already been met</strong>, with another 8 months of fundraising still to go! Also, in early April a group of 22 women from FAWCO and FAUSA joined a site visit to Jordan and CRP to learn more about the organization, to see the programs in action, and to meet some of the people the Target Program is supporting. Tricia shared testimonials and photos which brought the visit to life for our attendees.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-05-28/heidelberg-iwc-monthly-meeting-may-2018.jpg" alt="Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting Members" title="Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting Members" border="0" width="302" height="227" style="margin: 8px;" align="right">After her talk, there were some questions and a discussion, and Tricia also sold items from the <a href="http://www.fawcofoundation.org/our-programs/updated-2017/temp-target-program-title/backing-women-fundraising-campaign.html" target="_blank">Backing Women Boutique</a>, the fundraising campaign to support the Target Project. Beautiful, handheld fans were the popular item with the hot temperatures.</p>
<p>We were very excited to learn more about the Target Project, as the HIWC has some fundraising events coming up in June which will be raising money for Hope Beyond Displacement. Additionally in December the HIWC will have a Benefit Concert featuring the talented Robin Meloy Goldsby, which will raise money for the Target Project.</p>
<p>Thank you Tricia for your inspiring and informative talk!</p>
<p><br></p>
<p style="line-height: 1px;"><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6317977
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6317977Christine FunkeTue, 08 May 2018 12:00:00 GMTWe're Officially a FAWCO Member Club<p>We have officially joined FAWCO as the 66th and newest Member Club. This gives us an intimate connection to 65 other women's clubs and associations around the world therefore expanding our "community" to reach across the globe. We are thrilled to be a Member Club of this inspiring organization.</p>
<p>So, what is FAWCO?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.fawco.org" target="_blank"><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/FAWCO/FAWCO-Logo.jpg" alt="FAWCO Inspiring Women Worldwide" title="FAWCO Inspiring Women Worldwide" border="0" width="200" height="170" align="right" style="margin: 8px;"></a>Founded in 1931,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fawc.org" target="_blank">FAWCO</a>&nbsp;is an international network of independent volunteer clubs and associations comprising 65 member clubs in 34 countries worldwide, with a total membership of around 10,000. FAWCO serves as a resource and a voice for its members; seeks to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide, especially in the areas of human rights, health, education and the environment; advocates for the rights of U.S. citizens overseas; contributes to the global community through its Teams and The FAWCO Foundation, which provides development grants and education awards. The organization is a global women’s NGO (non-governmental organization), and since 1997, FAWCO has held special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council.<br></p>
<p>As a Member Club, we can attend yearly conferences and regional meetings, have access to online resources, the best practices library, education awards and development grants, fundraise for causes we care about on a global scale, and much more. Our members now can volunteer in FAWCO positions, and we're happy to announce <strong>the Heidelberg IWC is going to be hosting the Region 5 Meeting from November 9 - 11, 2018!</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is an important milestone for our Club and we can't wait to get more involved with this dynamic organization!</p>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6150133
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6150133Christine FunkeMon, 30 Apr 2018 08:00:00 GMTHearing from the Founders of the Heidelberg Women's March<p>The fourth Monthly Meeting of the Heidelberg IWC took place in an April evening and featured the founders of the Heidelberg Women's March, Dr. Kristen Nawrotzki, Melisa Jaenisch and Veronika Froehlich, as our guest speakers.</p>
<p>Around 20 people joined the Meeting to get updates on Club news, to network and to hear the speakers. Vice President Laura Bobanovic opened and led the Meeting and then handed over the spotlight to the three dynamic women.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-04-25/heidelberg-iwc-monthly-meeting-2018-04-25-guest-speaking.jpg" alt="Heidleberg Women's March Melisa, Kristen and Veronkica Heidelberg IWC" title="Heidleberg Women's March Melisa, Kristen and Veronkica Heidelberg IWC" border="0" width="302" height="227" align="right" style="margin: 8px;">Kristen, Melisa and Veronika each shared their own story of how they got involved with the Women's March. Kristen, for example, talked about her state of shock at Trump's win for the U.S. Presidency, and they all agreed that while they couldn't attend the Women's March in Washington, D.C., they felt that their home country of Germany needed them to stand up, turn feelings in action and organize their own Women's March in Heidelberg.</p>
<p>Getting going took a lot of work: from getting permission from the city and reaching out to people and marketing the event, to having to change the route due to the large number of people expected to attend.</p>
<p>So, on January 20th, 2017 they walked with close to 1,000 women, men and children from Friedrich-Ebert-Platz to Marktplatz in Heidelberg. Many attendees expressed their gratitude to be able to express their feelings through the march.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-04-25/heidelberg-womens-march-org-team-2017.jpg" alt="Heidelberg Women's March Organizers 2017" title="Heidelberg Women's March Organizers 2017" border="0" width="302" height="227" align="right" style="margin: 8px;">In 2018, they organized the 2nd Heidelberg Women's March with around 500 - 800 people attending. They've also helped organized other demonstrations including "Stand with Standing Rock" and "March for Science." They organize a Huddle once a month to keep in touch with women from various organizations who want to talk and raise awareness about different issues affecting women. You can also join the Huddle online through a medium designed for exchange, mentorship and support among local activists. Look for the "Heidelberg Huddle" group on Facebook and ask to join; curiosity is enough, no commitment or expertise required!</p>
<p>Additionally, Melisa has started an initiative to remove gender labels from the public libraries in Heidelberg, which you can follow on Facebook on the page "Stop Genderlabeling of Books at the Heidelberg City Library". While those labeled books still exist, their numbers are decreasing.</p>
<p>After their talk, there was a lively discussion among the guest speakers and the attendees, which concluded around 22:00 that night!&nbsp;</p>
<p>We say a big thank you to Kristen, Melisa and Veronika for joining us and inspiring us to speak up and take action when we want to see change.</p>
<p><em>Inspired to join the Women's March organizers or just want to stay up to date on their activities? Check out and like their Facebook page @HDWomensMarch or email them at <a href="mailto:hdwomensmarch@gmail.com">hdwomensmarch@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p><em><br></em></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6150132
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/6150132Christine FunkeFri, 23 Mar 2018 10:30:00 GMTA Historic Week for the Heidelberg IWC<p>This week, the members of the Heidelberg IWC joined together to make history for the Club.</p>
<p>On Monday, March 19th, members gathered at the Monthly Meeting where simultaneously an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) was held to vote for the following things:</p>
<ul>
<li>to ratify the HIWC Constitution</li>
<li>to elect the Executive Board, comprised of the President, Vice President and Treasurer</li>
<li>to join <a href="http://www.fawco.org" target="_blank">FAWCO</a></li>
</ul>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/EGM_2018/Heidelberg-IWC-EGM-2018-1-sm.jpg" alt="Heidelberg International Women's Club Members vote at the EGM" title="Heidelberg International Women's Club Members vote at the EGM" border="0" width="300" height="225" align="right" style="margin: 8px;">The EGM was opened by HIWC Founder and EGM Chairwoman Christine Funke. Attendance was taken with 10 members attending and directly after the voting started. On all three items, the votes were unanimous in support and 2 write-in ballots were also noted. A celebratory feeling filled the room; it was an exciting day for the Club!</p>
<p>Later on Wednesday, March 21st, 8 members met at a notary’s office in Heidelberg’s Old Town to sign the Constitution as part of the application to become an official association (<em>Verein</em>). The three newly elected Board members, Christine Funke, Laura Bobanovic and Barbara Bellosa, signed the application form, and it’ll be sent to the District Court of Mannheim for processing.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/EGM_2018/heidelberg-international-womens-club-members-signing.jpg" alt="Heidelberg IWC Members Signing the Constitution" title="Heidelberg IWC Members Signing the Constitution" border="0" width="302" height="227" align="right" style="margin: 8px;">With a lot of work done to prepare for this week, the Heidelberg IWC is in a good position to becoming an official charitable association, so that it can operate legally and take care of its members and others in the community.</p>
<p>Congratulations Heidelberg IWC!</p>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/5994221
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/5994221Christine FunkeTue, 20 Mar 2018 09:30:00 GMTGetting Things Done at the Heidelberg IWC<p>The Monthly Meeting on March 19th was a bit of a special one in the Heidelberg IWC’s (short) history. Along with the usual Meeting agenda (chatting, Club updates and a guest speaker), the Members held an Extraordinary General Meeting to vote on the Constitution, the Executive Board and to join FAWCO. Read more about the EGM and the HIWC making history.</p>
<p>After the EGM finished, Founder and newly-elected President Christine Funke gave the Club updates, mostly about upcoming events. After that, the group of 14 took a break before guest speaker, Jenny Ciucci, began her talk.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-03-19/Heidelberg-IWC-Members-sm.jpg" alt="Heidelberg IWC Members with Guest Speaker Jenny Ciucci" title="Heidelberg IWC Members with Guest Speaker Jenny Ciucci" border="0" align="right" width="300" height="225" style="margin: 8px;">Jenny, a Heidelberg IWC Member, told us a little bit about her and her journey to starting a nonprofit organization in northern Cambodia helping children get an education. She is an Italian American who grew up in Switzerland, and after spending a few years in Thailand, she moved to Cambodia to work with a local NGO supporting women and girls with HIV/AIDS in Battambang, near the Thai border.</p>
<p>Though she was working with these women and children in the community, there was still a lower class of children she calls the “invisible” children. They are so poor and vulnerable that even many groups don’t want to engage with them at all. After spending two years there, she had to make the decision whether to return back to Europe and find a “normal” job or stay and continue the work she was actively engaged in.</p>
<p>With her friend, Andrew Wolff, they wanted to set up a nonprofit to support other nonprofits and organizations working in the community. However, after doing research on these groups, they realized they couldn’t in good faith support them with their time, expertise or money. Therefore, they started their own nonprofit, Children’s Future International (CFI), to work with the most vulnerable children and families in their adopted home.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-03-19/Jennywithgirlsingarden.jpg" alt="Jenny Ciucci and girls of Children's Future International" title="Jenny Ciucci and girls of Children's Future International" border="0" align="right" width="300" height="200" style="margin: 8px;">Jenny told us how the organization supports over 270 children and their families, with not only education, but housing security, agricultural support, and emergency intervention when a child goes missing (most likely trafficked into child labor or prostitution). Their social worker staff works with the children individually, and she shared with us multiple success stories of children who have been brought into their system and are graduating at school and thriving in life. Many of them come back to CFI as interns and want to continue doing work in their community. As for the future, Jenny sees their growing network and influence in the community, region and nationally as the key to sustainable support for the children of Cambodia.</p>
<p>Thank you Jenny! Your wonderful talk and beautiful photos conveyed the passion you have for your work. We look forward to supporting you and the children you work with!</p><a href="http://www.childrensfuture.org/" target="_blank">http://www.childrensfuture.org/</a>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/5994138
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/5994138Christine FunkeMon, 05 Mar 2018 10:00:00 GMTAn Evening Out with the Heidelberg IWC: The 2nd Monthly Meeting<p>Braving sub-zero temperatures and high winds, about 15 people gathered for the Heidelberg IWC’s 2nd Monthly Meeting. With about half members and half guests, the atmosphere was friendly and warm and a lot was discussed.</p>
<p>Founder Christine Funke opened the Meeting with her ideas and hopes for the Club and then gave some important updates and news for the guests and members. Most notably, the Club will be applying for official association (<em>eingetragener Verein</em>) status in the coming weeks. This will legitimize the Club and allow the Board to open a Club bank account and get insurance for member activities. Additionally, the HIWC will be joining <a href="http://www.fawco.org" target="_blank">FAWCO</a>, an international federation of independent women’s clubs and groups all around the world. There is a lot happening with this Club!</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-02-28/HIWC-Members-600.jpg" alt="Heidelberg IWC Members and Juliah Rais-Morres" title="Heidelberg IWC Members and Juliah Rais-Morres" border="0" align="right" width="300" height="225">After the updates, the guest speaker, Juliah Rais-Morres, gave her talk about her life living abroad, her work and passion for cooking, and her latest venture, Cooking for HOPE. She left Malaysia at 18 to study landscape architecture in the US, and after meeting her now-German husband there (he was an exchange student at the same university) and not feeling the same back at home, she moved to Germany where she has been for over 28 years. She noted her homesickness when first leaving home and the complicated life of living outside your home country, which many HIWC Members can relate to.</p>
<p>In Germany as a side business, she started catering Malaysian cuisine for events. She opened a successful Malaysian restaurant, Serai, and when she decided to close it she started looking for ways combine her passion for food with helping the refugees who were flooding into Germany. At the same time, her son was on an around-the-world trip and she wondered daily, what is he eating? And does he have enough to eat? These two things encouraged her to start Cooking for HOPE to engage with and look after unaccompanied refugee minors, mostly boys, who have settled in Germany.</p>
<p>With Cooking for HOPE, she gets the boys involved in cooking for events, teaches them how to cook for themselves, and takes them out for activities or day trips. They celebrate birthdays together, go bowling, cook lunches for refugees, and visit art exhibitions. She wants them to know that there is someone here in Germany who cares about them and is looking out for them. She encourages them to work hard to learn German and try hard in school so that they may be able to earn a residence permit to stay in Germany after they turn 18. Juliah has become like a mother to them, many who don’t have any family back home.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-02-28/HIWC-Monthly-Meeting-Feb-2018.jpg" alt="Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting February 2018" title="Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting February 2018" border="0" align="right" width="300" height="225">Through food, drink, money and utensil donations from charities and groups in the community, Juliah plans to continue to work with these young boys and be a guiding force in their lives. Attendees at the Meeting were engaged, asked questions and showed interest in volunteering their own time and resources towards Cooking for HOPE. This seems like the beginning of a new cooperative effort in this region.</p>
<p>After Juliah’s talk and slide presentation with photos from the events and activities, attendees chatted, enjoyed homemade food and drinks and then wrapped up the Meeting. It was a cozy evening on a cold winter day that brought lots of hope to all who attended.</p>
<p>Thank you again, Juliah, for coming to speak to us!</p>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/5889475
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/5889475Christine FunkeThu, 25 Jan 2018 09:00:00 GMTMonthly Meeting January 2018 Recap: Successful First Meeting<p>The Heidelberg International Women’s Club started off 2018 with a successful first Monthly Meeting, the regular get-together for members and guests interested to learn more about the Club. It’s held monthly, alternating evenings and mornings to appeal to the wide demographics of women who are members of the Heidelberg IWC.</p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-01-22/IMG_2156.JPG" alt="Heidelberg IWC Members with Miteinander in der VG Freinsheim Guest Speakers" title="Heidelberg IWC Members with Miteinander in der VG Freinsheim Guest Speakers" border="0" align="right" width="302" height="227">
<p>Taking place at the Peace Church in Handschuhsheim, about 15 attendees gathered to hear from the Club Founder, Christine Funke, and guest speakers, and spend time chatting about the Club and getting to know one another. Christine started off the morning with a short introduction to the Club, her vision for how the Club will grow, and how attendees can become members and get involved.</p>
<p>Next, guest speakers Silke Stevermüer and Andrea Scheuermann from the nonprofit organization <em>Miteindander in der VG Freinsheim e.V.</em> gave a 40 minute talk about their work over the past 3 years with refugees who are settled in their village on the <em>Weinstrasse</em>.</p>
<p>Set up in 2015 during the high influx of refugees entering Germany, Andrea and Silke along with volunteers work directly with refugees to help with paperwork, appointments, setting up their apartments, getting children enrolled in school, giving language lessons, and hosting get-togethers for the refugees and members of the community. The refugees come from many different nations and have varied backgrounds of education, job skills and experiences fleeing their homes.</p>
<p>As a special guest, a Syrian woman named Safa, attended with Silke and Andrea. She spoke in German about her experience in an apprenticeship in a school. She has learned German from scratch since arriving with her husband for four children, and has had to start over with a new skill set so that she can provide for her family. She was warm and friendly and spoke highly of the help she had received from <em>Miteinander</em>.</p>
<p><img src="https://heidelbergiwc.org/resources/Pictures/Monthly-Meetings/2018-01-22/IMG_2150.JPG" alt="Members and attendees at the Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting" title="Members and attendees at the Heidelberg IWC Monthly Meeting" border="0" width="302" height="227" align="right">It was interesting for attendees to learn about the type of activities the group hosts for the refugee community, how they teach them concepts like punctuality and women’s rights, and where their donations and volunteers come from. Silke and Andrea now have an office where people can come to them when they need help and they have various activities and groups to empower women and their families and help integrate the refugees into the education and job system.</p>
<p>After this informative talk, attendees chatted about ideas for the Club, how to join, and found common ground among experiences abroad and living in Heidelberg and the surrounding region. Overall, it was a success and great start for the Heidelberg International Women’s Club. A big thanks goes out to all the members who helped make it a wonderful event.</p>
<p><br></p>https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/5701277
https://heidelbergiwc.org/Blog/5701277Christine Funke